All posts by Minocha Anisha

Looking for something to do this summer? Oblivious to an obvious choice?

If not only for your own enjoyment, then for a little competition- the Summer Reading Challenge gives everyone something worthwhile to read.

It’s all completely up to you! Read as many books from any of the following categories as you can. But make sure you only enter one book per category. Either pick out your own book from outside school, or books that the library has categorised especially.

The winner with the most amount of books read can choose new books to join the library shelves. Which book do you keep begging for the library to get? Well, now you have a chance to choose!

Keep a record of the book title that you have read and their category- either print out the form below or go old school and write it down. Remember to include your name and form!

All entries are to be returned to the library for back to school in September. But that’s more than a month of page- turning excitment away. So for now:

B for Beach: read any book written by another who’s name starts with ‘B’

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Paradise Island: set on a desert Island

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Quests aren’t Holidays: a character goes on an adventure, mission or quest

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Verses of Sun: read some poetry… honestly, they’re so much better than you think!

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Flourishing: the front cover features a flower

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Giggles: read a funny book that makes you lol

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Outside the Box: crosses between universes

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Book’s Better: read a book that was later turned into a film

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Sunburnt Kids: a group of young children outside or on holiday

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Short and Sweet: read a book of short stories

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Indian Summers: read a book set in mainland India

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That’s my Name: one of the main character’s name begins with ‘T’

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Once Upon a Time: based on a fairy-tale or old folk story

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Back in Time: set in the past centuries

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Proud of Pride: in the genre of LGBT+

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Curiouser and Curiouser: something that you’ve been waiting to read for a very long time

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Glinting in the Sun: featuring a special/ magical object

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Red: read a book that has ‘red’ in its title or the colour red on it’s front cover

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Let it Out: characters argue or fight with 2 people

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Spend it: a book that costs more than £8.99 (tag on back)

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Joy: the protagonist smiles a lot

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Refreshing the Senses: involves somebody taking a splash in the pool or sea

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Go Long: a book with more than 650 pages

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Great prize, great books, great summer

Don’t get the brain drain over summer and turn into a robot- interpret the titles however you wish, as long as there is some sort of plausable reason. Have fun this summer and make sure to comment below:

I agree. Reading’s hard work; especially when you’re thinking of all the other books that you just have to read. The stress of it all can make you want to skip the book you’re on- if only for the satisfaction of getting through your 49th book this year.

The book you’re reading at the moment, however breath-taking, can still become a bit of a drag when you look at the long, dreaded, ever-growing list of books to buy and read. It’s like some sort of serpent that grows longer and longer until it’s ready to coil itself around you…okay- maybe not that serious.

Sitting down (even finding the time to do that) and reading with all these distractions flying around your head can make you struggle to enjoy the present page flicking moment.

If only you had a little more time…*

1. Trust the person who brings a book. Everywhere. If there’s one advantage of technology, it’s that you can (not only read this time- consuming blog) read on your phone, kindle or kobo. Not only are they light, but super easy to carry around which means…yep! You can take your book anywhere and everywhere. Journeys to school, trips to the shops, in the car and basically wherever you want. All those small 5 minute bursts of reading will add up before you know it.

2. Remember those old-fashioned heavy lumps of papers? They were pretty popular back in the day. It can help sometimes just to change the format that you’re reading on. Don’t get put off by the weight of 459 pages. Real life, hardback paper books can be a real investment. Expensive, yes- but owning a book that’s yours- and only yours- one that you can hold in your hands and feel the weight on your hands covered with paper cuts-that’s a reading experience. Changing to either a digital or paper book could also change your attitude and motivation to reading.

3. Audiobooks. A gift from God. Whether you borrow one from the library to listen to on car journeys or download one on your phone- you can never go wrong. Unless, of course, the reader’s voice is so irritatingly annoying. In which case, I advise you to find another version of the book. When you can put up with the most terrible pronunciation of names, you can put up with anything. Think about the time you can save and how much you can read- or listen too- when walking from one place to another.

4. Shorten your too read listen. Yep- you heard me.

‘So many books, so little time’.

So use those great prioritisation skills to help you fine tune what books you really want to read. Use libraries to help- try reading a few chapters of a book before buying a copy yourself, especially if it’s a new author. You’re welcome, I’ve just saved you a ton money! Of course, the downside to a reader’s open mind is that you’ll probably end up with a few more books on your mind after a library visit. Perhaps even try a few short stories, poetry or even blogs… it is still reading after all!

5. Do you have a regular reading habit? Find a quiet place. Sitting in the same room as a sibling playing ‘fortnite’ and constantly hearing the roar of guns is not very helpful. Sit in your own comfort- try to make it a regular pattern, that way you’re more likely to stick to it. Through doing this you’re automatically reminded of the peaceful reading times you spend nearly every day at the same place.

Now- do you really have any excuses for not having the time to read? Stop reading this blog: go and find yourself a good old book.

*I am not a magical witch who can summon and create time- but there are so many ways to make time for time… so I guess I am a magical after all

How exactly has it got to the two thousand and eighteenth year on the planet Earth? I have no idea.

Let’s be honest- can you really remember much of what happened last year? The year before that? A lost cause. But the one thing I certainly can remember are books.

Looking back on 2017 with a fond memory of Sarah J Maas’ ‘A Court of Thorns & Roses’ series. This is something I definitely recommend- seeming as more of her fantastical works are due to come out this year…not long to wait- I hope. If you haven’t delved into this magical world, it’s definitely worth getting a move on. We’ll be seeing more of Maas this year…

2018 holds an uncountable number of books. So much choice, genre, authors.

This is the year which many have been waiting for books such as ‘Bright we Burn’. The third phenomenon in Kiersten White’s ‘Conqueror’s Saga’. This is the year we will remember.

Both books have popular sequels to be revealed in 2018

But through which books? The choice is entirely up to you (although I do strongly recommend the following: )

Aveyard’s 4th book ‘War Storm’ is FINALLY being released. This year. After finishing the previous book ‘King’s Cage’ a few days into the Christmas holidays, with only a few days of 2017 left, I eagerly scoured the internet for the next book, the anticipation building higher and higher…oh. It hadn’t even hit the shelves yet. May. The climax will be revealed. In May.

I’d have to look for other books will be released before that long wait.

Back to the winner of the goodreads choice awards, our very own Sarah J Maas- who will enlighten us with Feyre and Rhys’ adventures once again. ‘A Court of Frost and Starlight’. It gives me shivers of joy just reading that twinkling title. Technically speaking it’s more of a back story to the world which has become real to many- but who cares? Yet, unfortunately, that, too is coming out in May. Maas strains our patience further, stretching out the release of the 7th book in ‘Throne of Glass’ until Autumn! It will hands down be a worthwhile wait.

Sarah J. Mass excites fans with more than one new book this year.

Veronica Roth introduces ‘The Fates Divide’ as her 2nd book in the series. War. Love. Fate. Young Adult and Fantasy will combine into one explosive wonder.

2018 is also the bearer of ‘The Cruel Prince’. This Young Adult Fantasy hides deep and dark twists and turns, making authors like Aveyard and Marie Lu (author of ‘The Young Elites’) crave for the sequel to be within their reach. Luckily, it was released this January. Yet there’s still plenty of choice…

Heart-breaker Jojo Moyes is at it again with empowered Lousia Clark in ‘Still Me’ settling into the bustling streets of New York city. The success of her ‘Me Before You’ series means that the wait for this 3rd book has flown out of 2018. Moyes started early at January, and is available right now: on the shelves and ready to read.

Jojo Moyes’ third book- ‘Still Me’

Perhaps you could start off 2018, with a magical mysterious fiction: ‘The Hazel Wood’– taking you into a journey deep down into a perplexing novel of confusion and darkness.

‘Sometime I lie’, a psychological thriller beholds a character with three facts which lie close to her heart throughout the book, including deceit. Alice Feeny unearths the deep truths about lies. If lies are true to you, are they lies at all?

Tragic mystery thrills many in ‘pretty girls dancing’- the tale of crime, suspicion and riddles.

So, probably more than two thousand and eighteen books to look forward to. Make it a more magical, more thrilling and more breathtaking year.